Short Tailed Pygmy Monitor

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=112 style=" border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC;" BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <B>Pilbara Pythons</B></div> <div> <A HREF="home.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Home">Home</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="about.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Us">About Us</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="safaris.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Reptile Safaris">Reptile Safaris</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="pythons.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Pythons">Pythons</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="elapids.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Elapids">Elapids</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="monitors.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Monitors">Monitors</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="dragons.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dragons">Dragons</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="geckos.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Geckos">Geckos</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="skinks.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Skinks">Skinks</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="amphibians.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Amphibians">Amphibians</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="turtles.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Turtles">Turtles</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="forum.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Forum">Forum</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="caresheets.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Care Sheets">Care Sheets</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="herphelp.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Herp Help">Herp Help</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="kidscorner.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Kids Corner">Kid's Corner</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="stock.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Available Stock">Available Stock</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="gallery.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Photo Gallery">Photo Gallery</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="links.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links">Links</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="licence.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Reptile Licence Application">Reptile Licence Application</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="contact.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us">Contact Us</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="stevesprints.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Steves Quality Prints">Steve's Quality Prints</A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" >   ·   </FONT><A HREF="shipping.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Shipping Details">Shipping Details</A></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=368 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="229" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="71"><div> <A HREF="stripetailpyg.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Stripe Tailed Pygmy Monitor">BACK</A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="monitors.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Monitors">MONITORS</A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="71"><div> <A HREF="blackheadmonitor.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Black Headed Monitor">NEXT</A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="703" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 556 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="1faa54ff0.jpg" border=0 width="340" height="255" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <A HREF="shortailmonitormap.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Short Tail Pygmy Monitor Map"><IMG SRC="1fa954240.jpg" border=0 width="340" height="292" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="346"><div> <B>Short Tailed Pygmy Monitor</B>  - <I>Varanus brevicauda</I><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Verdana" ><I> </I>(Boulenger, 1898)</FONT></div> <bR> <div> This small lizard has the dubious honour of being the smallest individual in a family of lizards which is well known for including the largest in the world. Currently placed in the same genus as the world's largest living lizard, the Komodo dragon, this little lizard is at the opposite end of the spectrum with an adult length of around 24cm, including the tail.</div> <bR> <div> The background colour is reddish or yellowish, with a darker, speckled reticulated pattern covering the body. The tail is shorter than the snout to vent length, covered in strongly keeled scales and covered in a fairly irregular dark pattern.</div> <bR> <div> In the wild they are highly active foragers, although also quite wary, probably due to their size making them vulnerable to predators. In captivity they can become very bold after realising nothing is planning to eat them, and will often carry out normal behaviour in front of human observers. </div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Habitat</U></B></div> <div> They are found in arid and semi arid areas and are often associated with spinifex, within which they shelter and under which they burrow. They have been recorded in the extreme west of QLD, much of central Australia and the arid areas of WA. Despite their abundance and high rate of activity, they are usually difficult to observe in the wild due to the fear wild individuals have of larger animals, including humans.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 300 WIDTH="693"><div> <B><U>Diet</U></B></div> <div> Despite the small size, these small monitors are full of all the character you'd expect from a varanid. They are bold and fierce little predators, overpowering and consuming a wide variety of prey including insects, spiders, scorpions, small lizards and occasionally frogs and even small snakes. Additionally, as with virtually all monitors, they will readily consume carrion.</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Breeding</U></B></div> <div> The reproductive output is reasonably low for a goanna, with clutches averaging around two or three eggs (rarely up to five or six) so in spite of being highly desirable and popular, this species is still fairly infrequently kept in captivity. They thrive and reproduce well if given the right conditions, including ample food, dry conditions and a very hot basking spot. In the wild they are often locally abundant, with high population densities, quite unusual for a varanid. </div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Comments</U></B></div> <div> An extremely sought after goanna and several area morphs are now recognised and this species is likely to be split into several sub-species in the near future.</div> <bR> <div> <B>All native reptiles in W.A they remain protected under the W.A Wildlife Conservation Act (1950)</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 BGCOLOR=#444444 HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="693"><div> FOR AVAILABLE STOCK - <A HREF="monitorsforsale.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Monitors For Sale"><I><B>Please click here.</B></I></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>    <STYLE type="text/css">  </STYLE>   </div> </td> </tr></table></body>